What a Way to Make a Living
by TheHeadGirls
Summary: If you thought treasure-hunting was the only thing the St. Trinian girls were up to in 2007, you would be very, very wrong...
1. Chapter 1

Kelly,

Well, girlie, off to success like all other Head Girls before you. Well, apart from that unfortunate girl a few years back. Still, she's apparently enjoying her holiday at Her Majesty's leisure, so no harm done. She's not the focus of the letter though, sweet girl that she is. No, this is all about you girlie.

You were a one of a kind Head Girl. Though you know that already, of course you do. You've been doing the job for long enough – I suspect JJ mentioned something of that in her letter to you. She never did like the actual job of being Head Girl, but she liked the suggestion that she was popular enough. Silly twit.

So, if my sources are right, they contacted you. I thought they would; you did pull off one of the biggest heists of St Trinian history, after all. I suppose this means we won't be hearing much from you, even though you've given me your number. Well, I can't say I'm surprised, and it goes without saying that you'll be missed. By the teachers, the students – I believe the twins may try to follow you – and by ... well, you already know that one, don't you?

So, all that's left is for me to wish you the best. I'm sure you'll do splendidly girlie; we wouldn't expect any less from you.

Camilla Fritton  
Headmistress of St. Trinian's.

**xXx**

Chat Log:

**Andrea:** Just read your facebook status. You're staying in London?

**Peaches:** Seems like yes. I got the acceptance letter for London College of Fashion 2day. Theatre makeup and prosthetics. Wht bout u?

**Andrea:** English at Kings…

**Andrea:** You staying on campus?

**Peaches:** Well, I was going 2, but i looked round the halls and like ew they were so gross. I mean like totally ew, so Daddy bought me a flat just a tube stop away. What about u?

**Andrea:** I'm not really sure yet. It's, erm, well...

**Peaches:** OOH. The whole skint thing.

**Andrea:** I could live at home – Hackney's not that far…I guess.

**Peaches:** Well I've got a spare room. U could stay with me if u like.

**Andrea:** ... Really?

**Andrea:** ... Why?

**Peaches:** Why what???

**Andrea:** Why are you being so nice? What do you want?

**Peaches:** I'm not that bad Andrea!

**Andrea:** I never said you were. I'm just a suspicious person.

**Peaches:** Whatever. So I'll email u the details, right?

**xXx**

_HAS JAMES FINALLY FOUND LOVE?  
Our sources report him in the company of blonde up-and-coming starlet Chloe Winters... _

_YES ITS LOVE  
At the Brits last night, front man of award winning band, Without Fences, James Morrison spoke to us exclusively about his relationship with Chloe Winters..._

_MARRIAGE TO BE EXPECTED?  
James and Chloe are never out of each other's company, sources tell us, and are deeply in love with each other. "It's like something out of a fairy-tale," a friend of the couple told us, "they just seem so right together, and it's not hard to think that a proposal isn't far off..."_

_JAMES AND CHLOE – ENGAGED TO BE MARRIED_

_FAIRY TALES CAN COME TRUE: MEDIA SWEETHEARTS TO MARRY_

_JAMES AND CHLOE: ARE CRACKS SHOWING_

_JAMES: CHEATER_

_CHLOE: UNFAITHFUL _

_JAMES AND CHLOE: THE ENGAGEMENT IS OFF_

_HEAT  
"HE USED TO TIE ME UP"  
Did the award winning rock star abuse the girl only two weeks ago he was engaged to? Is that the reason she broke the engagement off? Full story inside! _

**xXx**

**This is to certify that lot number 3357, Harley Street, Islington, London has been purchased by Miss Taylor Scopes on this day, the 19 July 2008 for the purpose of renovation and commercial trade.**

**xXx**

_OPENING SOON_

_SCOPES! _

_A FASHION HOUSE OF THE GRANDEST DESIGNS_

_TOP BRAND NAMES AT AFFORDABLE PRICES_

_LOOK LIKE A MILLON POUNDS WITHOUT HAVING TO SPEND IT_

**xXx**

Regent Street  
Cambridge  
Cambridgeshire  
CB2 1DQ

Dear Miss Polly Cole,

It is my pleasure to inform you that have been admitted to undergraduate Mathematics course at Emmanuel College for the 2007/8 academic year. Note that this admittance has been based on your academic record.

Included are dates for the events of the matriculation week, and reading lists.

**xXx**

Flash Harry was best reached by leaving a note with the landlord in the pub in the village local to St Trinian's. Everyone knew that. Everyone just happened to now include people Flash didn't want finding him. He sat down at his usual table, racing papers folded closed in front of him, reading over the note they'd left with a vague look of amusement. The letter spoke in mocking tones, suggesting that he didn't have long left to hide, but the smirk that sat across Flash's face said different.

He was a better hider than they were seekers.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Hmmm." Polly sighed, resting her chin in her hands and gazing distractedly out of her window. Outside was quiet – all of the students were in lectures or studying in their rooms or in one of Cambridge's many libraries. She shook herself. _What is wrong with me?_ For the two years that she had been at St. Trinian's, she had longed for the intense study that silence affords. _I was so sure that this was what I wanted. And yet…yet…_ now that she had the silence, Polly found that she missed the uproar and anarchy of her old school. And I thought I'd never miss that. She sighed again, and turned resolutely back to her laptop, clicking on the Facebook icon now sat firmly at the top of her desktop.

After so long, the quiet market-town of Cambridge had come as a shock to her system, and more and more, Polly longed for some sort of excitement.

**xXx**

On Harley Street, Islington, Taylor flopped down on her desk chair. She was utterly bored. Her shop – "BOUTIQUE, dimwit," – selling knock off (and sometimes genuinely fake) designer gear was not doing as well as she had hoped. In fact, renting the shop, a dingy little place in Islington high street, was costing more then what she was earning. She hadn't had a customer for days now.

"I miss Kelly." She sighed to herself. "Hell, I even miss old Ghost Face." Her mind drifted to her memories of school, and she smiled as she thought of the girls and Camilla still locked up in the mouldy building. She switched n her laptop almost absently, and immediately found her way to Facebook. Typing rapidly, she clicked Kelly's profile, and began to flick through the photo albums stored there.

She and Kelly chucking Andrea in the sea, Rea dumping a bucket of sand on Taylor's head – 'I still haven't paid her back for that!'-, the three of them in a club in Tenerife, she with her arm around some guy whose name she couldn't remember…

"Damn Kelly Jones and her stupid career." Taylor was about to slam the laptop closed, when a bar began to blink orange at the bottom of her screen. She clicked it open, and stared in amazement. Polly Cole was talking to her. If truth be told, Taylor had been positive that she would never see or hear from Polly ever again after the A-Level results day. And yet…

**POLLY:** Hey Taylor  
**TAYLOR:** Pol?  
**POLLY:** How's it hangin'?  
**TAYLOR:** Dnt evr try 2 use slang agen, Geek girl.  
**POLLY:** So, how are you then? I hear you opened a shop?  
**TAYLOR:** yeh…wot's it 2 u???  
**POLLY:** Bet you're rolling in the money now then?  
**TAYLOR:** yeh, obvs.  
**TAYLOR:** actually, no. sucks, man.  
**POLLY: **Tell me about it. I thought Cambridge would be fab.  
**TAYLOR:** u dnt lke it?  
**POLLY:** No, I do…it's just a bit…dull  
**POLLY:** I miss St. T's. I do miss you, Taylor. I know we weren't the best of friends but…  
**TAYLOR:** I no, man. I miss st ts 2. I fort itd b boss runin my own biz, bt its kinda crud.  
**POLLY:** I need excitement…just something to happen. Want to come visit?  
**TAYLOR:** nah man. Wudnt catch me cam. An I gt shp n evryfin.  
**POLLY:** You know who I haven't heard from for ages? Kelly  
**TAYLOR:** me eiva.  
**POLLY:** Kinda funny, though… didn't think she'd do that.  
**POLLY:** I have an idea.  
**TAYLOR:** o yeh???  
**POLLY:** You want money, right?  
**TAYLOR:** yeh?????????  
**POLLY:** And I want some excitement, which I'm never gonna get here…  
**TAYLOR:** wot u tryin 2 sai gkgrl?  
**POLLY:** I have an idea that's gonna satisfy both of our needs and get us back in touch with the other girls. Did you hear about Chloe, by the way?  
**TAYLOR:** LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I new shed end up a sun grl.  
**POLLY:** Anyway, are you still in touch with Andrea?

*******

"Andrea? Andrea? Did you borrow my Gucci dress?"Andrea looked up from her novel with a sigh. She was trying to read 'Great Expectations' for her seminar the next day, and was nowhere near done.

She had accepted Peaches' offer of a room – Peaches was letting her stay there for nothing in return for Andrea doing the cleaning, which, Andrea had to admit, was a rather brilliant deal. She was finding it tough though; she and Peaches had never seen eye to eye over anything, and the other girl's constant interruptions made it hard for her to study. Though, Andrea had to admit, Peaches had at least made a concession in her usual tastes for decorating the flat. The look of the place was a mixture of modish and arty, in blacks, whites, greys and reds. It was, as Andrea had commented a few times before, a departure from her usual shades of pink, but Peaches had reasoned that she wasn't a high school girl anymore.

Besides which, this look was 'totally in.'

At Peaches' last question, Andrea looked up, vaguely amused, and rather glad of the break from the 'dreadful Dickens'. "Like I could get into one of your dresses." The Emo called back as she headed into the kitchen. "More likely Chloe's got it."

"Nope, not me." Chloe looked up from the plasma television set on which a rather skimpily clad Cheryl Cole – '_oh hang on, Tweedy_,' Andrea mentally corrected herself before Chloe could - was instructing her audience how to 'get those fem-abs'. Andrea rolled her eyes and continued to the kitchen. Since Chloe had moved in with them, there were a lot more wine bottles littering every available surface of the flat.

"Why do you want that dress, anyway?" Andrea asked, pouring herself a glass of water. "I thought you said it made you look, 'like totally hideous'."

"Andrea, honey, we've been through this." Peaches danced into the kitchen in her frilly pink Agent Provocateur underwear. Andrea grimaced. She still hadn't got used to the way in which Peaches and Chloe had no problem with wandering round in very little clothing. As it was, Peaches threw her arm around Andrea's waist. "Nothing makes me look bad. Looking bad is only for normal people, like you. Which is why I thought you might have it - my gold Donna Karen, I mean. To try to look good."

Andrea stared at her._ Blinking airhead_. Peaches hadn't even noticed what she had said. _Just two more years, Re. Two more years…_ Andrea sighed. _Let's hope I find a better deal before I turn into one of them._

"Well, I don't have your dress." The Emo growled, pushing past Peaches and heading to her bedroom. Peaches followed her into the living room, and watched the Emo's door bang shut. She turned to Chloe, who had paused mid work out to snack on crackers, and was also watching Andrea's retreat. Peaches reached out, fondling her best friend's hair.

"I am so glad you're living here too!"

***

Back in her room, Andrea was totally fed up. Fed up with Peaches and Chloe, fed up with the prospect of cleaning, _fed up with frikkin' stuck up Pip – ugh_. She chucked her copy of 'Great Expectations' across the room. "Why the hell would anyone wanna try and fit in with a bunch of snobs?" she grumbled half under her breath.

_Bloody hell, Re, look around ya_. She sighed. Cannot wait to get back to reality. She sighed, glancing at the photos that adorned her walls. Her and Kelly on their first day at St. Trinian's – so young, so innocent. _Well, looking innocent at any rate. We were way worse than the twins ever were. _Her glance moved across to more recent pictures. Her and Kelly on holiday with Taylor in Tenerife, lounging around the pool, splashing –harrumph – in the sea, stood in a club at night. She sighed again, her eyes moving round her room, finally coming to rest on her phone.

"Wish she'd ring, just once in a while. Damn Kelly Jones and her stupid career." She stared, willing the phone to ring. Suddenly, 'Teenagers' blasted out, and Andrea's jaw dropped open. Diving across her room, she grabbed her phone. She pushed up the cover, her fingers shaking in excitement and disbelief. "Kelly?" Her voice was hopeful, breathless, a smile already on her lips. But instead of Kelly's cool reply, Andrea was met with a gale of laughter.

"Good God, Morticia, why the 'ell would Kelly phone you?"

"Taylor?"

"Nah, 's'other Chav you know. Get wiv it, Ghost Face."

Andrea rolled her eyes. "What do you want, Taylor? It's been three months." Three months since the argument and Kelly's mysterious disappearance.

"No one's found 'er yet, 'ave they?" Taylor's voice was cautious now.

Andrea shrugged, before remembering that Taylor couldn't see her. "No news is good news. Means that she's not definitely dead." Her voice was strangely guarded. There was an uncomfortable pause. "Look, Taylor, what do you want?" Andrea finally snapped.

"Was jus' wonderin' 'ow you are, Tish. Man, don' bite me 'ead off." Taylor sounded offended.

Andrea took a deep breath and slumped back onto her bed. "Sorry, Taylor. I'm just…stressed. Uni's a lot of work, and living with Peaches and Chloe isn't exactly a picnic, you know?"

"Can't believe you three are livin' togeva." Taylor guffawed.

"Oh shut up. How's the shop?"

There was a pause. "'S'alright." Taylor answered.

"It's crap, isn't it? Oh goodness, tell me you're having as bad a time as me." The Emo could hardly suppress the glee from her voice.

"No need to sound so frikkin' pleased, Tish." Taylor grumbled. "Can't all be frikkin' 'ot-shots at university. Speakin' of who, you know who I 'eard from?"

"I'm not a mind reader, Taylor."

"Shut up. Polly."

"Polly?"

"Yeah, that's who I was talkin' to. 'Ave you 'eard from 'er?"

"Not since she went all snobby about Cambridge. Don't think I wanna to be honest."

"She 'ates it."

"What?" Andrea snorted. "Polly hates Cambridge? As if. What the hell have you been smoking, Taylor?"

"Oy, that's you with the frikkin' dope."

"That was one time. That was a mistake. You said –"

"Keep yer rat on, Tish. Was a joke man. Do you wanna 'ear what Polly said or not?"

"Not really." Andrea closed her eyes. Polly Cole was one of the last people she wanted to hear about right then.

"Gonna tell ya anyway."

"Why ask then?" Andrea was exasperated.

"Well, she was sayin' that she were like mega bored, an' that Cambridge was a bi' of a dump, and she misses St. Trinian's. An' she came up wiv a plan."

"Go on…" Andrea's curiosity got the better of her.

"Wot if we stir up a bi' of trouble?"

"Trouble?"

"Like the old days, y'know? Nick a few bobs from a couple of lords, an' Bob's ya uncle."

"What?" Andrea sat bolt upright, hitting her head on the sloping ceiling above her head. "Ow."

"'Sup?"

"Nothing" Andrea rubbed her head, staring ruefully at the ceiling. "Taylor, we can't steal."

"What? Why not?" Taylor demanded.

"Because it's wrong. We could get arrested."

"And? That never stopped us before."

"We're not at school any more, Taylor. We don't have Miss Fritton to watch our backs."

"We can watch our own. Come on, Tish. Where's your spirit gone? You need the money." Andrea looked sadly over at the pile of bank statements in the corner of her room and sighed. Having a student loan didn't mean that she saw any of the money – her father used it as his new 'gambling fund'. Is stealing really so bad?

"It's wrong, Tay." Andrea's voice was tinged with regret.

On the other end of the phone, Taylor smiled. She knew she could convince her friend now… It was just a matter of time.


End file.
